How you bring light into the darkness
14.5.2021
Lamps are more than just light sources. They deliver what they promise and spread atmospheric light. Make use of this outdoors.
Who is on the guest list for the next garden party? Right! Outdoor lighting. Every lamp sets a mood and emits atmospheric light in a very specific area. There are many places to put them. Keep reading for some aesthetic examples.
Lamps on elevated surfaces
What?
Lanterns, oil lamps and wireless table lamps
Where?
- on tables
- on stairs
- if handles are available, on the railing or on branches
Flickering candlelight creates a warm atmosphere in the garden in no time. Use it on tables or surfaces around your outdoor space. It’s especially ambient when you arrange pillar candles in groups. Play with different heights and use candle pots for protection.
Pro tip: combine various sizes and shapes and place several candles in one glass.
Oil lamps may not replace a campfire. Nevertheless, their dim light is perfect for setting accents. Use it to illuminate the dining or coffee table in front of the garden lounge. Or place multiple models on stairs and pedestals. If you choose a version with a handle, you can hang it above the dining area.
Portable table lamps are the modern lanterns. They’re wirelessly rechargeable via USB or solar energy and can be placed anywhere. You can use them as a mood light while you eat because they’re dimmable. At the highest level, the lights are even suitable for reading in the lounge area. They’re often multifunctional and double as loudspeakers or bottle coolers. Many cases are splash-proof, but not waterproof. Therefore, take the portable lamps inside when not in use.
Lamps on the floor
What?
Ground spike and floor lamps
Where?
- by the wayside
- on the meadow
- around the garden lounge
Sure, you can put lanterns and portable table lamps on the floor. But there are special designs that are made specifically for this purpose. The kind with a skewer you can stick in the grass, for example. Thus, even in windy conditions, everything remains vertical. Earth spike lamps are especially suitable for marking areas and lighting the way.
Outdoor floor lamps are not only similar to those for indoor use, they usually have similar features such as dimmability. However, they only light up for a limited time if you choose models with a battery. You charge them either with solar energy or electricity from the socket. Regardless of whether or not power is required, floor lamps are beneficial wherever you want to illuminate a larger area. For example, by the sofa or sun lounger.
Lamps in the air
What?
Lanterns, pendants and fairy lights
Where?
- on the ceiling
- on the railing
- in trees
Whether solo or in a group, lanterns are made to hang. With their handles, you can easily string them and make them into a garland. Individually, they can hang on a branch or hook on the wall. Frame a dining area, pergola or the entire balcony with lanterns. The quantity makes the difference, since the light is usually not as strong as that of table or floor lamps.
The situation is different with ceiling lights suitable for outdoor use. They illuminate a large section outdoors. Use them as a single element over the dining table or stage a group along a pergola. It’s also nice to let them hang down from the ceiling at higher and lower levels. To do this, alternately shorten the cables. Or, for a change, you can attach the pendant lights to a landscaped wall using hooks. This makes them not only a visual highlight, but also a signpost.
The most popular interior accessory on TikTok are fairy lights. They act as background lighting in bedrooms. But you can also make them the focal point in the garden at any time of the year. Weatherproof designs are either power efficient thanks to LEDs or environmentally friendly thanks to solar power. Hang them from fences, beams or plants and let them sparkle there. You can choose between faint fireflies, light bulbs and motif fairy lights. What’s best: some designs are as nice turned off as turned on.
Whether it’s a signpost, a reading lamp or dimmed ground spikes for the garden, terrace and balcony – use lamps to spread pleasant light.
Pia Seidel
Senior Editor
Pia.Seidel@digitecgalaxus.chLike a cheerleader, I love celebrating good design and bringing you closer to everything furniture- and interior design- related. I regularly curate simple yet sophisticated interior ideas, report on trends and interview creative minds about their work.
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